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Overview

Property Details

House, 3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths, (Sleeps 6)

Please note: Due to size limitations and local restrictions, any event at the Palmer House is limited to a maximum of 25 people.

The Palmer House is a multilevel brick and cypress late period Frank Lloyd Wright house, the plan and design of which is based on the equilateral triangle. The house is sheltered by a long broad hipped roof with deep overhangs. The cantilever extending over the terrace is the most dramatic feature of the house. The open interior is fitted with Wright-designed furniture and built-in cabinetry. The Palmer house exemplifies Wright's open, American organic architecture in which all parts are related to the whole and are linked to the environment in an adaptation of form to nature.

In addition to the main house, there is a tea house located on the 2 acres of woodland surrounding the home. The tea house includes a working fireplace, a small kitchen and a bathroom with a shower-over-the toilet.

During your stay, please enjoy complementary tea and coffee, high thread count sheets, feather and non-feather pillows and organic shampoo and conditioner. We are committed to greening the earth and only use organic cleaning products, hand soaps, dish detergent, and laundry soap. Please be advised that there is no air-conditioning (the floors are concrete, the roof blocks direct sun, and the house is surrounded by very large trees and thus the house remains cool).

Recent Review

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Original Frank Lloyd Wright Secluded Home with Tea House

http://www.vacationrentals.com/listing/p246204vb

Ann ArborSoutheast Michigan

KT

Northville, MI

5

Unforgettable Weekend

5 of 5

I made reservations for a weekend stay at the Palmer House as a birthday surprise for my boyfriend. Needless, to say the weekend was a perfect gift for both of us! We spent an unforgettable weekend of; living, entertaining, and breathing in- this awe inspiring home, that was the designed by FLW, and built with love by the Palmer's. Words can not do justice to this "house beautiful". We truly were overwhelmed by the level of detail, originality, and beauty throughout the house, and the grounds are just as beautiful. Many thanks to the Sue and Gary for their welcoming hospitality (enjoyed your sharing a few anecdotes of Palmer's life in their Wright house), and for allowing us to spend time immersed in history. As a side note: For out of town guests, this home is a very short drive to downtown Ann Arbor- full of great restaurants, shopping and very close to Nichols Arboretum- please find time to make a trip to Zingerman's Deli- you won't be disappointed!

About the Owner

We currently live in San Francisco and purchased the house in March 2009. Jeffrey Schox, who is a San Francisco patent attorney, spends several weeks a year in Ann Arbor. When he is not in Ann Arbor, the Palmer House will be available for rent as a guest house and as a meeting location. Kathryn is a yoga teacher and plans to offer both public and private classes in the house a few times a year. Jeff's parents, Sue and Gary Cox are the caretakers of the house.

based on 18 traveler reviews

Unforgettable Weekend

5 of 5

I made reservations for a weekend stay at the Palmer House as a birthday surprise for my boyfriend. Needless, to say the weekend was a perfect gift for both of us! We spent an unforgettable weekend of; living, entertaining, and breathing in- this awe inspiring home, that was the designed by FLW, and built with love by the Palmer's. Words can not do justice to this "house beautiful". We truly were overwhelmed by the level of detail, originality, and beauty throughout the house, and the grounds are just as beautiful. Many thanks to the Sue and Gary for their welcoming hospitality (enjoyed your sharing a few anecdotes of Palmer's life in their Wright house), and for allowing us to spend time immersed in history. As a side note: For out of town guests, this home is a very short drive to downtown Ann Arbor- full of great restaurants, shopping and very close to Nichols Arboretum- please find time to make a trip to Zingerman's Deli- you won't be disappointed!

Memorable

5 of 5

We recently had a memorable two-night stay at the Palmer house. We’ve visited dozens of Wright houses over the years, and Palmer is the epitome of Wright’s ability to create a world—not just a beautiful house. The integration of materials, textures, colors and shapes is truly amazing (to use that much-overused word). Being and living (if just for a short time) in the Palmer house is living in the world as it ought to be and, in Wright’s case, as it is. We are most grateful that it’s available for overnight stays.

Dream Stay

5 of 5

We had the great joy of living in the Palmer House for five days at the end of May. Along with two brothers and wives, we spent a wonderfully relaxing time in this FLW treasure so carefully maintained by the Palmers and now kept up by Jeffrey & Kathryn and Sue & Gary for us to experience. When we arrived, Sue and Gary gave us an informative tour of the premises and information about the area. Then the house was ours to enjoy for a unique experience in today’s world - no phone, no radio, no television - just calm, peaceful surroundings. Even two deer visited the grounds one afternoon, adding to the tranquil atmosphere. We took advantage of the house to enjoy as family ,and the location in Ann Arbor allowed us to make lots of excursions, especially to the close-by Nichols Arboretum and the Matthaei Botanical Gardens and further afield to Bloomfield Hills for the Cranbrook Campus and the Affleck House, as well as to Grand Rapids to visit the Meyer May House . We enjoyed great restaurants in Ann Arbor and wonderful brew pubs. Brothers and wives left first at the end of our stay, and then we realized we had to leave “our” house too. Ah well. We’ll definitely be back to enjoy this haven.

A perfect experience

5 of 5

Thank you to the Palmer and Cox families. Without you we'd never been able to spend four incredibly peaceful days immersed in the world of Frank Lloyd Wright. Words and all the photos and video cannot do it justice. Thank you again!

Wonderful Experience

My husband and I are big fans of FLW architecture. We've stayed in three of his home including the Palmer House, and while we really enjoyed all three, the Palmer House was our favorite.

What made it so special?

Gary and Sue met us at the house and told us the history and showed us how everything worked. There's also a guide with a list of the heating and lighting elements in the house -- very helpful!

This house is just nicer than the other two that we stayed in (Duncan House and Penfield House). The original furniture and the well developed yard (complete with deer, fox, etc) made this a secluded and elegant retreat.) The tea house, although not usable in winter, was also a nice extra that we were able to tour when we arrived.

Some other details we really enjoyed:magazines and books where the house is featuredlovely teasorganic lotions and soaps

I was pretty won over by the bathroom, which not only had its only heater, but a really deep tub and skylight that let in moonlight.

I think anyone who enjoys FLW should make a trip here. It would also be a wonderful location for people who enjoy staying in a special place with a meaningful history. The relationship of the house to the nature it is positioned in led to hours of conversation about how we live and why. It's rare that a house would do that.

As with all the Wright homes we have stayed in, there was a little dust and a few spiderwebs -- nothing to be concerned about -- but a hazard of old homes that are not designed to be used as hotels.

Oh -- and to the reviewer who was upset about there not being a TV -- we really enjoyed there not being a TV.

We are deeply grateful to the owners for this experience and will be back.

Living In Art

5 of 5

The Palmer House's owners well maintain this architectural gem. Email questions were quickly answered and our tour upon arrival was entertaining and informational. Pictures come up short of the real thing--house is stunning in person. FLW devotees will be smitten.

Ann Arbor's restaurants are terrific. Pretty much everything in the city is within ten minutes of the house, though we visited during UM's spring break. A chopper ferries patients to nearby uni hospital. Also, roads are rough. Owners can't control roads or flight path. It's a fun city to visit.

Still, area is mostly quiet and, happily, a trio of deer kept us entertained. Overall, house and location are wonderful. Visitors will feel the serenity Wright intended while sitting in Great Room chairs while gazing at the sunrise through the trees. We plan to return.

Location

From the Owner

“We both graduated from the University of Michigan and while attending school, frequently went on long walks or runs with the Palmer House as our destination. Jeffrey has been a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright since an early age growing up outside of Detroit and Kathryn became a fan while attending the Art Institute of Chicago and exploring the suburbs of Chicago.”

* Approximate monthly rate. Actual rate will depend on the days of the month you stay.

Payment is usually accepted in the quoted currency (USD) unless the currency and the amount is specifically agreed in advance with the owner / advertiser.

Additional information about rental rates

Cleaning Fee
$100

Refundable Sec Deposit
$500

Tax Rate6.0%

We accept Pay Pal or check. No credit cards

Booking for 2016 are not accepted at this time.
Holidays are subject to premium rates. Special daily rates are available for corporate events with a maximum of 25 guests.
Winter Weather Guarantee: Reservations can be rebooked without a penalty if cancelled due to a winter storm.